Despite high infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy, not one of your direct ancestors died childless.

That fact, in and of itself, reveals that you are a descendant of some pretty amazing people.

Learning more about ancestors and family history has the power to enrich life. Those who put in the time to research their past often discover the inspiring victories their ancestors achieved, or reveal heart breaking struggles that they overcame. Your life is an epic story, thousands of years in the making, and knowing your fore-bearers stories can help you tell your own.

Family History Leads to Personal Resilience

There is real power in learning about the lives of our ancestors. One study found that children who know about their family history are more resilient than those who don’t. The study began when Marshall Duke, a psychologist at Emory University at the time, was asked to help explore myth and ritual in American families. Says he, “There was a lot of research at the time into the dissipation of the family, but we were more interested in what families could do to counteract those forces.”

As Dr. Duke was exploring options, his wife, Sara, had an interesting observation. Sara, a psychologist working with children facing learning disabilities, noticed an interesting trend among her students. “The ones who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges.”

To test whether family history and resilience were related, the pair developed a “Do You Know?” scale of 20 questions asking children about their ancestors, such as “Do you know where your mom and dad went to high school? Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do you know the story of your birth?” These questions, along with recorded dinner table conversations, given to over 40 families found that there was, indeed, an “overwhelming conclusion.” The more children knew about their family’s history, the higher their self-esteem.

Of this finding, Dr. Duke said, “We were blown away.”

But what is it about family history that makes children resilient?

Survival is Possible

Family History stories can show that no matter what a family has gone through, good, bad, or ugly, the ancestors survived, and so can family members today. Dr. Duke explains, “It’s called the oscillating family narrative: ‘Dear, let me tell you, we’ve had ups and downs in our family. We built a family business. Your grandfather was a pillar of the community. Your mother was on the board of the hospital. But we also had setbacks. You had an uncle who was once arrested. We had a house burn down. Your father lost a job. But no matter what happened, we always stuck together as a family.’ ”

That heritage of uniting with family, and pushing through hard times together no matter what unexpected bumps appear in the road, teaches children that they too, can push through hard times.

Part of Something Bigger

Children who know their ancestors and history are given a knowledge that they are not the only person who has ever gone through hard times, but that’s not the only benefit.

Writer and best-selling author, A.J. Jacobs, shared that when his family learned they were related to Albert Einstein, they became much more interested in history. Jacobs said that to them, it was like, “Oh, it’s Uncle Albert. Let’s figure out what he said.”

In addition to better relating to the past, those who seriously invest themselves in family history gain a lot of skills useful to the present. Recording Family History means using spelling, fact checking, source siting, computer skills, research skills, and more. It also has the power to increase confidence and self worth as those skills are mastered.

Are you interested in getting your kids involved in your family’s history? Here are four fun ways to get them started.

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2 Comments

I have been puzzled about my families history since I was young enough to have memories. You see, no one ever told me anything about our relatives or where we might have come from. I was the youngest by almost 10 years of a family of two girls and a half brother who was old enough to go into the Army before I was five and disappeared from our lives for at least the next 25 years. Of course there was always that mystery and others because no one ever explained anything to me. I was raised by my two sisters from the age of five after my parents divorced and my mother abandoned me saying that I was my father’s responsibility. He was too busy with work and traveling and looking for another wife to have much time for me though he would occasionally show up and make sure I was okay and pay for my upkeep if necessary. I even lived with him a few times when he married another woman who would constantly complain that she didn’t bargain f or me and she should not have to care for me. While growing up I often jumped from school to school and could never establish long term friendships and I was frequently called a “half-breed” native American because of my looks. So when I finally reached retirement age I still did not know enough to say for sure I was anything for sure. When I found the Ancestry Program I went crazy trying to clarify what I was and it has taken years to clear up some misconceptions and discover relatives that I didn’t even know I had. So through the years I have been a member it has been an experience of opening one door after another. I now believe that the years of membership is finally go to the end of my life knowing who I am, finally.

I am glad you found your family and your history, James! Genealogy can be a challenge, but is so rewarding. It is amazing to learn the stories and pass them on to younger generations. I have been fortunate to remain in the community where my grandparents settled. This means there are landmarks and a sense of belonging. Generations go the the cemetery each year to clean and again to bring flowers. Graves from both sides of the family are there. There is some sort of story for each life represented and I must say it does give a sense of stability. What a wonderful thing it would be to help others find their way to their history.